tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50524973876263753162019-03-20T19:26:40.191-04:00Indiana QRPFlying Pig QRP Club Field Day at Caesar Creek State Park Ohio - 2006Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-78740392250823647542019-03-20T19:24:00.002-04:002019-03-20T19:26:40.130-04:00Never Ceases to Amaze me....<div style="text-align: justify;">I've always said you meet the most interesting folks on ham radio and tonight was no exception.&nbsp; I was tuning around on 20m looking for any kind of signal, it was too late and the band was too quiet, and I still wanted to have a QSO.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I tuned down to the 40m band to see what was going on there and stumbled across KF4IZE calling CQ on 7114.&nbsp; Will lives down in Fayetteville NC and has been an Extra class operator since 1998.&nbsp; He gave me a 569 and I had him a solid 599 here in Central Indiana.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qyudpH2N8Vs/XJLKUZtOZCI/AAAAAAAABoc/XSn6TlgT6BgK6Z6nX-Z_S8sncQzRHs-YACLcBGAs/s1600/KF4IZE%2BBike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="617" height="257" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qyudpH2N8Vs/XJLKUZtOZCI/AAAAAAAABoc/XSn6TlgT6BgK6Z6nX-Z_S8sncQzRHs-YACLcBGAs/s320/KF4IZE%2BBike.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will KF4IZE on his 2002 Harley Davidson Fat Boy</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">He enjoys fixing up and running boat anchor gear, as well as riding his prized 2002 Harley Davidson&nbsp; Fat Boy.&nbsp; Will was using a old Navy Flameproof key tonight, and I was at the K2 and using my Nye Viking Master Key.&nbsp; He gave me his SKCC number and I forgot to give him mine...I swear I am losing my marbles.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Will retired from the US Army Signal Corps after serving for 20 years in 2008.&nbsp; In his spare time he likes to run mini marathons and regular marathons, and cruising around on his Harley.&nbsp;&nbsp;His current antenna farm consists of a home brew two-element delta loop parasitic array for 40 meters and a two-element vertical ground plane phased array for 2 meters. You can find Will KF4IZE mostly operating 40-meter AM (7.290/295) and occasional CW (7.050/7.115)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIWz3_Y1JXI/XJLKBnFxMRI/AAAAAAAABoU/gJvgcZTTvucV6W48EwC7e5eiGu2bG3WIgCLcBGAs/s1600/KF4IZE%2BStation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1265" height="226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIWz3_Y1JXI/XJLKBnFxMRI/AAAAAAAABoU/gJvgcZTTvucV6W48EwC7e5eiGu2bG3WIgCLcBGAs/s400/KF4IZE%2BStation.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Operating Position at KF4IZE in Fayetteville NC</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for the QSO Will and thanks for your service.&nbsp; My dad is a retired Sgt. Major and my son is a Marine.&nbsp; We owe you guys a lot!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-37318571472361157782019-03-17T15:16:00.001-04:002019-03-17T15:22:46.195-04:00Quick Receive Audio Mod for the Hilltopper 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I got my Hilltpper 20, it was pre-built by an experienced QRP builder and QRP operator, so I was satisfied with it bveing built correctly.&nbsp; &nbsp;I ran it through the calibration process per the documents and was very satisfied with the results of that calibration.&nbsp; I had some trouble getting it exactly right so I was asking about the process on the 4 States QRP Group reflector.&nbsp; Dave Benson K1SWL, the designer of the Hilltopper rigs and former owner of Small Wonder Labs was kind enough to send me explicit instructions on the calibration process, and using those instructions I was able to get the transmit and the receive spot on.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So since I had Dave's attention, I sent him an email asking if there were any tweaks I could make to the receiver that would make it a bit louder and not sound so&nbsp; muffled or narrow.&nbsp; He responded that he'd been thinking about that and suggested I change R5 to 470K or 510K and change C22 to 150pf .&nbsp; He had calculated this might add nearly a 10db gain to the circuit.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">R5 WAS a 150K resistor and C22 WAS a 470pf COG capacitor.&nbsp; They are located just above the Dual Low Noise Op Amp U3 which is a <a href="http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ne5532.pdf" target="_blank">NE5532</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;See below:&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n4GIj3PdcTg/XI6brlNSF-I/AAAAAAAABoE/9yDbCZVi8B4ABfNXX5GvbGIMs0-CuycKQCEwYBhgL/s1600/ht20picture2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="480" height="275" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n4GIj3PdcTg/XI6brlNSF-I/AAAAAAAABoE/9yDbCZVi8B4ABfNXX5GvbGIMs0-CuycKQCEwYBhgL/s320/ht20picture2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swap R5 and C22 out with new values</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKenjvMmMi4/XI6Yj1SMh_I/AAAAAAAABns/6Nn663ydBQUvYiM87ayJZmwGxSyJsahsgCLcBGAs/s1600/hilltopper20schem2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="538" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKenjvMmMi4/XI6Yj1SMh_I/AAAAAAAABns/6Nn663ydBQUvYiM87ayJZmwGxSyJsahsgCLcBGAs/s400/hilltopper20schem2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of Parts to Swap out on Hilltopper 20</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Once I got the parts it took me maybe an hour total to remove the old parts and install the new parts.&nbsp; My de-soldering skills are horrid so I went slow so I didn't gronk up the circuit board.&nbsp; Solder wick is your best friend here, and having a de-soldering bulb handy is really really helpful.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I don't have any gear that I can use to measure the actual electrical improvement but my ears were VERY happy to hear an increase in audio gain, and an increase in the number of signals.&nbsp; I would tune a station on my K2 and then switch to the HT20 and was able to tune the same, even the weak ones.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Dave did mention that this mod MIGHT cause some screeching if I tuned any really loud signals, so far I have not experienced that.&nbsp; I reported the improvements to Dave and he is now working on a possible Op Amp replacement idea.&nbsp; I can't wait to see how that turns out.&nbsp; Stay tuned.&nbsp; If you perform this modification, please let Dave Benson know how it turned out for you and if you see any improvement.&nbsp; I was very happy with it.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yesterday here in the Hoosier Heartland we had gorgeous sunny skies,&nbsp; fair winds, but cold temps.&nbsp; So I did not get to take the rig to the outdoors.&nbsp; Woke up this morning with a serious&nbsp; head cold and about an inch of new snow....good grief.&nbsp; Will Old Man Winter just pack up and GO.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-32576771422982221142019-03-16T16:57:00.003-04:002019-03-16T17:01:36.297-04:0020m Finally Opens a Wee Bit While I am Home!<div style="text-align: justify;">If you have been reading along, you'll remember I bought a pre-built Hilltopper 20 QRP transceiver about two weeks ago.&nbsp; I have not had a single QSO on it until today, and I am a happy man.&nbsp; I have been trying and trying to make a QSO with this radio every afternoon when I get home from work, but it's just been too late in the day for a cooperative 20m band and my sorry, sorry antenna, the infamous attic dipole.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V1wL84kuK-I/XI1iiwA4MAI/AAAAAAAABnQ/R5_fsfmSr9IKtwKDp-Rz0D-G5n3IUbzpwCLcBGAs/s1600/hh2aa%2Bchopper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="633" height="157" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V1wL84kuK-I/XI1iiwA4MAI/AAAAAAAABnQ/R5_fsfmSr9IKtwKDp-Rz0D-G5n3IUbzpwCLcBGAs/s320/hh2aa%2Bchopper.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haiti Air Ambulance Service</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally this afternoon I was able to work a quick contact with HH2AA from a remote operated station down in Haiti.&nbsp; HH2AA is the callsign for the Radio Club of Haiti and they were working a contest.&nbsp; The operator for this station is controlling it from a remote site. This is a special call to support the Haïti Air Ambulance Service. Please consider donating to this wonderful cause!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to QRZ:&nbsp; The HH2AA station currently sits at 6300'ASL with a Elecraft K3 running 100w with 3 Element Tri-bander fixed to the U.S. and a 4 Element Tri-bander fixed to EU along with a OCF Dipole off a 80' Tower.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I worked them at 19:40Z and on 14043.2 Khz today, we traded 599, but this was a contest exchange...they were 100% 599 here in Indianapolis today.&nbsp; &nbsp;I see they have now moved up to 15m.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What a view from the tower eh?&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KsoShQUzrmg/XI1i6seGH2I/AAAAAAAABnY/fBJztvsxAdwuGwMn56dVUZ1z0wv8hkVzACLcBGAs/s1600/hh2aa%2Bview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="998" height="395" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KsoShQUzrmg/XI1i6seGH2I/AAAAAAAABnY/fBJztvsxAdwuGwMn56dVUZ1z0wv8hkVzACLcBGAs/s640/hh2aa%2Bview.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for the contact HH2AA, QSL card is in the mail!<br /><br />I am now ready to take this show on the road as soon as the weather gets a little warmer around here.&nbsp; I have an Alex Loop antenna, and a portable vertical called the PAC-12 I hope to use during my lunch hours and from the local park bench.&nbsp; I have a Hilltopper 20, a Norcal 20, and my K1 to go portable with this summer. Stay tuned and listen for KB9BVN....he's desperate.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best DX and 73 to all!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-28667224375415377652019-03-11T18:58:00.002-04:002019-03-11T19:02:31.263-04:00Today in QRP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOzJkVv0Hgo/XIbkgYwsMtI/AAAAAAAABmc/lUPXTGyf1Hc2x9NLNeFKK59n7wamG13ZwCLcBGAs/s1600/g3rjv%2Bsmall.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="266" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOzJkVv0Hgo/XIbkgYwsMtI/AAAAAAAABmc/lUPXTGyf1Hc2x9NLNeFKK59n7wamG13ZwCLcBGAs/s200/g3rjv%2Bsmall.png" width="141" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rev. George Dobbs G3RJV - SK&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the world of QRP today, we were informed of the passing of Rev. George Dobbs G3RJV early this morning.&nbsp; George was a QRPers QRPer and was a huge believer in "minimalist radio".&nbsp; George was the founder of the G-QRP (QRP club of Great Britain) and was the editor of Sprat Magazine for years and years.&nbsp; The world famous "Sudden Receiver" was designed and built by George in 1989 and is still sold as a kit by QRPme today.&nbsp; George taught us about "Occum's Razor" and the word "pelf".&nbsp; A featured speaker at numerous FDIM events in the past, a contributing author/editor to Sprat, and many RSGB publications.&nbsp; &nbsp;He will be greatly missed.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tonight when I got home from work I was treated to an extra hour of daylight thanks to this invention we call Daylight Savings Time.&nbsp; I was hoping that the 20m band would give me a QSO on my new radio, the 4 States Group Hilltopper 20.&nbsp; It was not to be.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's my setup, a Hilltopper 20, a set of 18650 batteries, and a Nye Viking Master Key.&nbsp; I have re-calibrated the tuning so I am right on frequency now, thanks to Dave Benson K1SWL for the calibration assistance.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0ZG6RiesDc/XIblrW1uyxI/AAAAAAAABmo/OuYPKJN1hPU9Nk1m1qfEfIOX3ss0O1atQCLcBGAs/s1600/ht20%2Band%2Bkey%2Bsmall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="640" height="311" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0ZG6RiesDc/XIblrW1uyxI/AAAAAAAABmo/OuYPKJN1hPU9Nk1m1qfEfIOX3ss0O1atQCLcBGAs/s400/ht20%2Band%2Bkey%2Bsmall.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilltopper 20 and Nye Viking Master Key</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I gave out some free CQ's for about 30 minutes and then checked with the Reverse Beacon Network to see if I was even making a dent in the ionosphere.&nbsp; My Hilltopper 20 can output a solid 5 watts into my attic dipole.&nbsp; I was not encouraged by what I saw.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZrMC0Aelb0/XIbmSC2-3II/AAAAAAAABmw/qG2Yvjw2BdAXpbW6yRbKw7Bsvxg8EgNpwCLcBGAs/s1600/HT20%2BRB%2B031119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="764" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZrMC0Aelb0/XIbmSC2-3II/AAAAAAAABmw/qG2Yvjw2BdAXpbW6yRbKw7Bsvxg8EgNpwCLcBGAs/s640/HT20%2BRB%2B031119.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KB9BVN Spots on the Reverse Beacon Network&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Being heard in Arizona, Alberta, and Utah...but measly signal strength getting there.&nbsp; It's obvious I need to get on the air at a different time of day.&nbsp; I have been trying in the morning as well between 09:00Z and 09:40Z and not hearing anything.&nbsp; &nbsp;My friend Ivin W9ILF was able to make a couple nice contacts on Sunday with his 1.5 watt Cub on 20m.&nbsp; He QSO'd with a station in Washington state and Idaho.&nbsp; I was not on the air Sunday at all...bad move eh?&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So...back to 40m for this evening and I will en-devour to persevere on 20m tomorrow.&nbsp; dit dit</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-33685107198606550562019-03-03T16:22:00.001-05:002019-03-03T16:22:15.053-05:00Happiness is a new radio...<div style="text-align: justify;">When I got home from work on Friday my Hilltopper 20 had arrived.&nbsp; So I wolfed down dinner, kissed the wife and headed to my radio room.&nbsp; The Hilltopper is a radio designed by none other than Dave Benson K1SWL&nbsp; of Small Wonder Labs fame.&nbsp; The Hilltopper is kitted and sold by the <a href="http://www.4sqrp.com/index.php" target="_blank">Four State QRP Group.</a>&nbsp; I bought one that was already built by another QRPer.&nbsp; You can read all about the kit on the club website and I might mention that is it one sale right now...you can save $10.00</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My Hilltopper isn't acting quite right.&nbsp; I tune to 14060 and it transmits on 14062.&nbsp; I am also having some issues with the receive being on the wrong frequency as well.&nbsp; So I have signed up for the support group on groups.io and will get this figured out.&nbsp; 20m has been dead as a door nail all weekend...at least in the CW band.&nbsp; I think everyone must be running the ARRL SSB contest this weekend.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Hilltopper can put out about 7 watts with a fully charged 12v battery.&nbsp; I can't wait to have a QSO with it.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was able to get on the air for a bit this afternoon, and knocked out four contacts, but no new states.&nbsp; I had to go down to 7052 and call for SKCC, I managed to work GA, NC, NJ, and MD with the K1 at 5 watts.&nbsp; The A index is at 12 and we're seeing no sunspots right now so it's pretty tough sledding.&nbsp; I am going to try hard to get the Hilltopper 20 going in the right direction and between it and my Norcal 20 I hope to make contacts in the western states I need for my WAS efforts.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, thanks for checking in.&nbsp; Next weekend we are doing a VE test session for 40 people that are finishing up a county CERT training class.&nbsp; &nbsp;That will be fun!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-38725356789381304262019-02-26T17:50:00.002-05:002019-02-26T17:52:31.360-05:00Shack Disaster....but then a QSO<div style="text-align: justify;">Ever have one of those days?&nbsp; I was getting ready to work some CW and after getting my desk top all arranged the way I wanted it, I somehow managed to shove my 1964 vintage Vibrokeyer off the back of my desk.&nbsp; It was not plugged into the radio, as I have been working with just my straight key lately.&nbsp; It landed....on the paddle.&nbsp; The worst possible way it could have landed.&nbsp; Feast your eyes on this sad sad picture.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGDant8SGSU/XHW_LHHJ4YI/AAAAAAAABlo/VAiPswf7ncYrtZ4uHICWn6PtNkSHHC_gACLcBGAs/s1600/Vibrokeyer%2BBroke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1184" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xGDant8SGSU/XHW_LHHJ4YI/AAAAAAAABlo/VAiPswf7ncYrtZ4uHICWn6PtNkSHHC_gACLcBGAs/s640/Vibrokeyer%2BBroke.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KB9BVN's busted Vibrokeyer</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The paddle busted free of the adjustment nuts AND the little red ruby thingie on the top is GONE.&nbsp; It's a totally sad day in Mudville kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luckily, Vibroplex has the parts to fix it up.&nbsp; Looks like about $35 with shipping. I will attempt to fix it myself since I am a Radio Amateur, and if I gronk it up too badly I will ship it off with a box of money to the mothership at Vibroplex for repair, adjusting, and cleaning.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once I found all the parts I could find under my desk, I calmed down and tuned to 20m in hopes of working a western state.&nbsp; I CQ'd on 14050 for about 20 mins...and didn't get a bite.&nbsp; John K3WWP has been having great success on 80m, but alas I do not have an antenna at home that will work on 80m.&nbsp; I need to improve the antenna situation here.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHgh9i9q8Zs/XHXCXVU9ptI/AAAAAAAABl8/3UmKCV217gAdd2QIXApsgl5H0CBI4KhpgCLcBGAs/s1600/ka4upi%2Bshack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="525" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YHgh9i9q8Zs/XHXCXVU9ptI/AAAAAAAABl8/3UmKCV217gAdd2QIXApsgl5H0CBI4KhpgCLcBGAs/s200/ka4upi%2Bshack.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KA4UPI in the Shack</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">So I tuned down to 40m, 7051.5 Khz, and sent out my call a few times and nothing.&nbsp; I was reading the latest Harbor Freight Ad-zazine when I heard KA4UPI&nbsp; call CQ.&nbsp; I answered him and we had a great QSO.&nbsp; Mark was running 100w into a Double Bazooka antenna up about 40 feet. His radio was the venerable Icom 746 and he was SKCC member 2582T, a NEW SKCC contact for he and I both.&nbsp; Mark lives in Dublin Georgia.&nbsp; Dublin has about 17,000 people in it, and was named for Dublin Ireland by the early settlers that came there from the Emerald Isle.&nbsp; They also have produced a number of NFL players along the line.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for the QSO! I still need 20 more states!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-70791999355585978302019-02-24T21:48:00.002-05:002019-02-24T21:49:38.107-05:00QRP Convention time is here<div style="text-align: justify;">If you have never been to a QRP convention and you are an avid QRPer, then you owe it yourself to get to one or two of them this year.&nbsp; Coming up in April is one of the most popular conventions we have in the United States.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.ozarkcon.com/index.php" target="_blank">Ozarkcon 2019</a>&nbsp; runs the weekend of April 5-6 in Branson, Missouti.&nbsp; It is held at the Stone Castle Inn and Conference Center.&nbsp; &nbsp;This QRP convention and banquet is hosted and sponsored by the <a href="http://www.4sqrp.com/index.php" target="_blank">Four States QRP Group</a>.&nbsp; You can get all the details on their website.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Four Days in May is probably the oldest QRP convention and banquet we have, this year it is again in Fairfield Ohio, at the Fairfield Holiday Inn.&nbsp; It runs from Thursday May 16th to Sunday May 19th.&nbsp; Which just so happens to be the same weekend as the Dayton Hamvention.&nbsp; &nbsp;The FDIM hotel is conveniently close to the Hamvention site in Xenia Ohio, so you can knock out two birds with one stone.&nbsp; FDIM is operated by the <a href="http://qrparci.org/" target="_blank">QRP Amateur Radio Club International</a> and features an all day symposium on Thursday, a Vendor Night, a Club Night, a Buildathon, and a fine banquet.&nbsp; If you have never been to FDIM, you owe it yourself to make it one year.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are the two coming up the fastest.&nbsp; In addition to these we also have Lobstercon, usually held in July up in Maine.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://10times.com/pacificon" target="_blank">Pacificon</a> will be held in San Ramon California the weekend of October 18-20 in 2019.&nbsp; This is a big show, if you are in the that part of the nation, you won't to miss this.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-75600488052385802542019-02-22T15:10:00.004-05:002019-02-22T15:12:39.820-05:00Friday Night is Movie Night<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sdnEpW4no-s/XHBXHmdm0fI/AAAAAAAABlU/ioZ2K-r9_sQECnusyxx5zJsk8dpCBTG3QCLcBGAs/s1600/artcraft2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="870" height="363" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sdnEpW4no-s/XHBXHmdm0fI/AAAAAAAABlU/ioZ2K-r9_sQECnusyxx5zJsk8dpCBTG3QCLcBGAs/s640/artcraft2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ad0XQkp6STY/XHBWtXOXXLI/AAAAAAAABlE/uXzXRHyoKNw7sQlC99N2pypMLqk41zSlACLcBGAs/s1600/thing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="259" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ad0XQkp6STY/XHBWtXOXXLI/AAAAAAAABlE/uXzXRHyoKNw7sQlC99N2pypMLqk41zSlACLcBGAs/s200/thing.JPG" width="145" /></a>I most likely will not be on the air tonight, but instead I will be watching the 1982 John Carpenter classic "The Thing".&nbsp; We have a fantastic theater nearby called the Artcraft. It was originally opened in the 1920's and the Franklin Heritage group has been slowly but surely remodeling it and putting it back to its former glorious condition.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4BNSyzYd4VU/XHBW3eREabI/AAAAAAAABlI/M_rQKX0ZI-UvjiN5XsqNvzSWTaQ4JI55wCLcBGAs/s1600/artcraft1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="517" height="168" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4BNSyzYd4VU/XHBW3eREabI/AAAAAAAABlI/M_rQKX0ZI-UvjiN5XsqNvzSWTaQ4JI55wCLcBGAs/s200/artcraft1.JPG" width="200" /></a>It is one of our favorite places to go watch old movies, and you can't beat the price.&nbsp; About $3 gets you in and another $5 gets you a box of popcorn and a big soda to enjoy during the movie.&nbsp; On Friday and Saturday night they award prizes to lucky ticket holders, as well as hand out an award to the </div><div style="text-align: justify;">patron that drove the furthest to get there.&nbsp; All the popcorn is locally grown! It's like being a kid again and stepping back in to the glory days of Hollywood!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This weekend we have the South Carolina State QSO Party on Saturday, and the North Carolina State QSO Party on Sunday.&nbsp; Both offer QRP categories so get out there and work those states.&nbsp; Have fun and I'll be back on the air tomorrow.&nbsp; Working hard on the WAS I started in 2018.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-12963727535228953792019-02-21T20:28:00.001-05:002019-02-21T20:28:02.966-05:00The Streak Lives! <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-84or47TXcqE/XG9OrTS8NvI/AAAAAAAABko/3ngRlptQXAYySrxxDrCH7LB7xTKaz35JQCLcBGAs/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="320" height="198" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-84or47TXcqE/XG9OrTS8NvI/AAAAAAAABko/3ngRlptQXAYySrxxDrCH7LB7xTKaz35JQCLcBGAs/s200/004.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KB9BVN at the Key</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I was worried that I would not get to get on the air tonight, my wife, my sister in law, and I went out to dinner at Culvers and didn't get home until 8PM...which just happens to be my bedtime.&nbsp; (I get up at 4:30AM for work).&nbsp; Once again I fired up the K2 and tuned her right to 7120 Khz.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFZuGGLo4Rs/XG9PMI1ECkI/AAAAAAAABkw/PPVadyOykAgAERNCKVHyI1lmWlLBeHbxgCLcBGAs/s1600/n5ixa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="432" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFZuGGLo4Rs/XG9PMI1ECkI/AAAAAAAABkw/PPVadyOykAgAERNCKVHyI1lmWlLBeHbxgCLcBGAs/s200/n5ixa.JPG" width="178" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N5IXA in the Shack</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I fired off a couple QRLs and no one seemed to mind...wasn't hearing anything either, so I sent out a 3x3 CQ and was immediately answered by Randy N5IXA out in Oklahoma City.&nbsp; Wow, Oklahoma two nights in a row!&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Randy is SKCC 5896 and he was running 100 Watts from his Alinco DX SR8&nbsp; into a Loop antenna. I gave him a genuine 599 from Indiana and he sent me a genuine 339 from Oklahoma.&nbsp; I'm thrilled he heard me at 10 watts on the attic dipole.&nbsp; Randy has been a ham since he was 15 years old, and is a retired ER Nurse according to his bio page on QRZ.&nbsp; Randy is also active in the local community theater, which must come naturally to a HAM.&nbsp; Right? Check him out on QRZ. You meet some of the most interesting folks on the CW bands.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">QSO was at 01:05 and ran until 01:16 on 02/22/19Z&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-56210905023546169942019-02-20T19:23:00.005-05:002019-02-20T19:26:24.477-05:00Ohhhhhhhh klahoma! <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNaQMw6Tdvc/XG3t3CAekzI/AAAAAAAABkA/BF4DYQsA8uUtnH83KtWm9NjODGTcf2UTACLcBGAs/s1600/k7jkz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="973" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xNaQMw6Tdvc/XG3t3CAekzI/AAAAAAAABkA/BF4DYQsA8uUtnH83KtWm9NjODGTcf2UTACLcBGAs/s200/k7jkz.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K7JKZ</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I am pretty sure the 40m band was on vacation tonight.&nbsp; The noise was high, the QSB lasted a long long time between waves coming back in.&nbsp; I sat and listened for about 90 minutes tonight before I finally completed my CW QSO.&nbsp; Once again I started on 15m...heard nothing, so I headed to fertile QSO grounds on 40.&nbsp; Except there was not much there but some SSB in some language I don't know right on 7120 Khz.&nbsp; So I tried 7115, then to 7050, and finally landed on 7030 Khz and tossed out a few CQs only to be ignored.&nbsp; So I was playing around with my laptop when I heard a faint KB9BVN DE K7JKZ coming from the K2 speaker.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh boy...I almost never hear 7 land on 40m here in this QTH so I cranked it up to 10 watts and fired my call back.&nbsp; John K7JKZ must have super sonic ears because he heard me...barely.&nbsp; I sent him a 339 and got back a 349 from the great state of Oklahoma.&nbsp; John runs ONLY a KX3 in his shack and from the looks of his QRZ page he has a fine shack indeed.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8Z7_mGQoCs/XG3uoE9eG4I/AAAAAAAABkI/QcHn4UviVWED3laK5ii6_brX1ktQUS7ZACLcBGAs/s1600/k7jkz%2Bshack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="799" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8Z7_mGQoCs/XG3uoE9eG4I/AAAAAAAABkI/QcHn4UviVWED3laK5ii6_brX1ktQUS7ZACLcBGAs/s200/k7jkz%2Bshack.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">K7JKZ Shack - KX3</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd like to thank John for his service to our great nation, he served as a US Navy Radioman 2nd Class and was a submariner on the USS Andrew Jackson and the USS Ulysses S. Grant. John calls Oklahoma City his home now, although he was originally licensed at age 13 in Medford Oregon. We had to send our RST, QTH, and name a couple times before we copied it on both ends.&nbsp; The QSO was just about that short, we bid each other 73 and the band went dead again. I am very glad I hung around, Oklahoma isn't real plentiful around here, so it's great to have that one in the log.&nbsp; So far 2019 my WAS efforts have only yielded 10 states.&nbsp; I heard New Mexico tonight, W5UX, but the QSB took him away as fast as it brought him in.&nbsp; It was brutal this evening and I was using every filter in my box of magic radio tricks.&nbsp; Keep on CQing!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-63354020740203368252019-02-19T19:52:00.002-05:002019-02-19T19:52:47.483-05:00On the Shores of Lake Pontchartrain<div style="text-align: justify;">Well the weather man says we have a big nasty late winter storm coming sometime tonight, ice, sleet, snow and then maybe a little rain forecast for the early hours tomorrow.&nbsp; I can not wait for summer to get here.&nbsp; Good thing we have plenty of edibles and lots of movies to watch.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fired up the K2 tonight and tuned around on 15m, didn't hear a peep. So I moved on back down to the best band in the land, and parked on 7120 Khz.&nbsp; I threw out a few slow CQs and a few faster CQs from the straight key and got no takers.&nbsp; Just about the time I was ready to shut it down and go watch the snow fall, I heard a loud but somewhat slow CQ from KB5KGO.&nbsp; I threw out my call and he came back to me on the first try.&nbsp; Warren KB5KGO is an honest to goodness Novice license holder.&nbsp; Folks there are not many Novice licensees left out there, but Warren is one for sure.&nbsp; From his QRZ page I learn that he is about 68 years old, and lives on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain way down there in Slidell Louisiana.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-__wzSqBEzdg/XGykZhI1goI/AAAAAAAABjs/zPZ_nulBjLoGqCDBsRsmrHjdjHVNuNw7QCLcBGAs/s1600/KB5KGO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="978" height="310" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-__wzSqBEzdg/XGykZhI1goI/AAAAAAAABjs/zPZ_nulBjLoGqCDBsRsmrHjdjHVNuNw7QCLcBGAs/s400/KB5KGO.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Warren gave me and my 10 watts a 589 and I sent him a legit 599, he was running an Icom 718 to an end fed wire at 100 watts.&nbsp; He was making the trip like gangbusters, and the slight bit of QSB we had did not phase his signal one bit.&nbsp; Warren is probably the first real live Novice operator I have worked in a long time.&nbsp; We QSO'd at a blazing 7 or 8 words a minute.&nbsp; Armchair copy to say the least.&nbsp; If you get a chance to work KB5KGO, jump on it. Great fist, and great QSO.&nbsp; Since we went over 30 minutes, I printed him up a Rag Chewer award and mailed it off with my QSL card.&nbsp; Thanks for the great QSO and good old timey radio night here at home.&nbsp; I hope to work Warren again!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-61279805427320838012019-02-18T19:29:00.001-05:002019-02-18T19:31:40.688-05:00Well Hello New England! <div style="text-align: justify;">So after dinner tonight I got in front of the K2 and tuned around the upper part of 40m, the old Novice/Technician part, specifically around 7120.&nbsp; I was surprised to hear a QSO going on so I moved down the band a few Khz and heard W2RAN calling CQ on 7116.&nbsp; So I pumped the K2 up to 10 watts and sent my call sign out to him from the attic dipole.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ran W2RAN came right back and we had a nice QSO, and exchanged our SKCC numbers.&nbsp; Ran is Randy Wright and he lives up in New Hampshire.&nbsp; I don't get to work that part of New England very often so I was happy to give and GET a 599.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I checked Ran out on QRZ and he is an avid CW operator, preferring straight keys and side swipers, or cooties.&nbsp; Check out this homebrew Cootie Key.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hY_3g12djE/XGtMAyFJ0TI/AAAAAAAABjY/any_D-fNppchqWtPEPvMZAlvsm_k4QlXwCLcBGAs/s1600/w2ran%2Bcookite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1042" height="207" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hY_3g12djE/XGtMAyFJ0TI/AAAAAAAABjY/any_D-fNppchqWtPEPvMZAlvsm_k4QlXwCLcBGAs/s320/w2ran%2Bcookite.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saw Blade Cootie Key by W2RAN</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Randy lives in Lyndeborough NH, and this little town has quite a history.&nbsp; Named after judge Benjamin Lynde,&nbsp; w<span style="background-color: white;">hile serving as a proprietor of Lyndeborough, Judge Lynde lived in Massachusetts, where he presided in&nbsp;</span><span style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Suffolk County</span><span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;over the trial stemming from the&nbsp;</span><span style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Boston Massacr</span></span>e.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">The town has been home to the&nbsp;</span>Lafayette Artillery Company<span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;(founded 1804) since 1833. The town office building,&nbsp;</span>Citizens' Hall<span style="background-color: white;">&nbsp;(opened 1889), is listed on the&nbsp;</span>National Register of Historic Places<span style="background-color: white;">, as is the&nbsp;</span>Lyndeborough Center Historic District<span style="background-color: white;">, which consists of the Congregational Church (circa 1836), Town Hall (1846), and remnants of the Town Pound (1774).</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Randy also likes to work WWFF, KFF, and POTA stations whenever he can.&nbsp; Thanks for QSO Randy!&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">de KB9BVN</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-67394375389653722892019-02-16T17:44:00.001-05:002019-02-16T17:46:48.346-05:00Lazy Saturday QSO on 40m<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What can I say, I have been neglecting my blog, and I have not been on the air nearly as much as I would like to be.&nbsp; I have a million excuses and they won't all fit here, so I will say, I'll try harder in March.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not much going on this weekend, I am on call for work so that means I need to hang around the QTH and get some chores marked off the list.&nbsp; I have that all done and got some time this afternoon to get on the air.&nbsp; I forgot this was the ARRL DX contest weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T50FTp_mBS4/XGiQzDzDEDI/AAAAAAAABio/gclrGqKKnKcFZC89D7Wocr8xt-wB6gsYwCLcBGAs/s1600/Capture.JPGW4AMV2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="719" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T50FTp_mBS4/XGiQzDzDEDI/AAAAAAAABio/gclrGqKKnKcFZC89D7Wocr8xt-wB6gsYwCLcBGAs/s320/Capture.JPGW4AMV2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W4AMV's latest RX creation<br />From his QRZ Page</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">So I fired up the K2 and tuned to my favorite 40m fishing hole, 7120 and heard nothing but the soothing sounds of slow rolling QSB.&nbsp; I fired off a CQ or two using my trusty and unrusty Nye Viking Master Key and was answered almost instantly by Alan W4AMV down near Raleigh NC.&nbsp; I was on the attic dipole today and I am certain that my house is aimed directly at North Carolina.&nbsp; I have more NC stations logged that any other state.&nbsp; Today I&nbsp; was running 10 watts, and I feel no shame.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1sva322V1DE/XGiREuOKLFI/AAAAAAAABiw/7Q8e8NPhtr4OspwlZnVWx_w5zABsh0XdwCLcBGAs/s1600/W4AMV.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="792" height="239" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1sva322V1DE/XGiREuOKLFI/AAAAAAAABiw/7Q8e8NPhtr4OspwlZnVWx_w5zABsh0XdwCLcBGAs/s320/W4AMV.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W4AMV Project from QRZ Page</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Alan W4AMV is an avid homebrewer, if you want to see some really cool stuff, look him up on QRZ.&nbsp; Today he was running 50 watts into I think a&nbsp; random wire to his tree tops.&nbsp; I had him 599 and he gave me a 579.&nbsp; QSB was rolling slow and wouldn't you know it, just as the QSO got going I started getting QRM from a couple other stations that just sort of showed up out of nowhere.&nbsp; We carried on though for about 15 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The band conditions were fair, and I will try for a few more QSOs today.&nbsp; I am going to try and see if I can find any DX up on 15m, the attic dipole works well on 15 and 40 for me so maybe I'l have some luck.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Don't forget, Daylight Savings Time returns to the US in a few weeks.&nbsp; It'll be time to SPRING FORWARD those clocks and deprive yourself of at least one hour of sleep.&nbsp; I wish we'd just pick a time standard and stick to it all year around.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 to all!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-63265132992476487232018-12-30T14:13:00.000-05:002018-12-30T14:16:30.158-05:00So long 2018....you were a wild ride! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfuJ0YYCRSU/XCkYWrY-yFI/AAAAAAAABh8/l_SbNkU-cboemBfG9inFhAU3Riz5SPWDACLcBGAs/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="320" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfuJ0YYCRSU/XCkYWrY-yFI/AAAAAAAABh8/l_SbNkU-cboemBfG9inFhAU3Riz5SPWDACLcBGAs/s200/004.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looks like 2018 is about to come to an end, and that brings a new year for fun in the sun and playing radio.&nbsp; Looks like I made it to only 30 states this year.&nbsp; Things at the old J-O-B have been very busy the last six months, we bought out a company down south that doubled our size, in revenue and in employee count.&nbsp; I work in IT....so it's been a drag race to get everything ready for the new acquisition.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This year we got two new grandsons, Iggy and JP, and that brings the total to an even dozen, numbering six boys and six girls.&nbsp; Blessed beyond words.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We lost my father-in-law, Paul J. Lauck Sr., on December 21st, and the family spent the week of Christmas planning a funeral.&nbsp; Paul has been my father-in-law for a few months short of forty years.&nbsp; His wife Margaret passed away in 1991 just as they were about to celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary.&nbsp; He was a retired Development Engineer, working for Bryant, Carrier, and ultimately United Technologies.&nbsp; He had a hand in the development of the heat pump and many other inventions in the furnace and AC world.&nbsp; I never got him convinced to get his license, but I tried on several occasions.&nbsp; Paul and Margaret had nine children, 28 grand children, and 61 great grandchildren.&nbsp; He's been a great example of fidelity and faith to me for as long as I have been in the family.&nbsp; He'll be missed.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hN8a8eZYmhg/XCkXCHzHTiI/AAAAAAAABhw/F9rj_qB9lugr09vPP9sDoWkWiCTtLWjCgCLcBGAs/s1600/paul.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="632" height="350" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hN8a8eZYmhg/XCkXCHzHTiI/AAAAAAAABhw/F9rj_qB9lugr09vPP9sDoWkWiCTtLWjCgCLcBGAs/s400/paul.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul J Lauck Sr. - 1933 -2018&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So between work and family I have not been on the air much at all in November and December.&nbsp; I hope to be more radio active in the new year and I plan on starting the year out by participating in the Straight Key Night that starts at 00:00Z Jan 1 and runs until 23:59Z Jan 1 - what a way to start the year!&nbsp; Racking up states, and contacts and getting to know your long lost straight key!&nbsp; I hope to hear you on the air!</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5xab9wXvIXM/XCkYh_EmajI/AAAAAAAABiA/ICi7bLL1MUcHFLk255ktvtYvQ1cjA2hhACLcBGAs/s1600/004-r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="401" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5xab9wXvIXM/XCkYh_EmajI/AAAAAAAABiA/ICi7bLL1MUcHFLk255ktvtYvQ1cjA2hhACLcBGAs/s200/004-r.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>72 de KB9BVN</div><div>Brian Murrey</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy New Year!&nbsp;</div><div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-18015437185281463512018-10-28T17:05:00.001-04:002018-10-28T17:07:05.610-04:00Finally..A NEW STATE! <div style="text-align: justify;">I got some time to get the K1 on the air today around 3PM EDT (19:00z), logged in to the Reverse Beacon Network and noticed the solar report was looking a little weaker than usual.&nbsp; No sunspots, SFI at an anemic 68, A Index at 4 and K Index at 1...so I decided I had nothing to lose and started calling CQ on 15m, since it was still pretty early in the day.&nbsp; Nothing.&nbsp; RBN only had ONE skimmer that could hear me and it showed my signal at 6db.&nbsp; I find that unless I am out there at 10db or higher, my chances for a QSO are slim and none.&nbsp; So I trotted down to 20m and tried a few CQ's and the RBN had ZERO skimmers hearing me.&nbsp; Ok fine, so I bounce down to 7058 Khz in hopes of finding a FISTS station.&nbsp; WOW the RBN was hearing me all over the place, and my signal was being reported over 16db in about 15 locations.&nbsp; One place even had me at 30db...which is LOUD.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTsxENnyRgw/W9Ye-vb2DSI/AAAAAAAABgc/gMvG48lmTaULteFmgd3SRtM6T0927y1pQCLcBGAs/s1600/rbn102818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="732" height="297" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTsxENnyRgw/W9Ye-vb2DSI/AAAAAAAABgc/gMvG48lmTaULteFmgd3SRtM6T0927y1pQCLcBGAs/s320/rbn102818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RBN Status of KB9BVN on Oct 28 2018</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Well to my dismay, there were no FISTS to be heard...so I changed up to my old tried and true, the SKCC.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Within a couple of CQ SKCC's I got a contact with Joe AA5AD down in Arkansas.&nbsp; Joe gave me a 599 and I sent him a 579 off my attic dipole.&nbsp; According to his biography on QRZ, Joe is a firefighter, retired battalion chief, and lives in a log cabin with his family on 40 beautiful acres.&nbsp; Joe has plenty of room for antenna experimentation!&nbsp; He's SKCC 15454T, which means he's on the air a lot and loves to QSO.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition to amateur radio, Joe likes to fish, hunt and keep bees.&nbsp; You never know who you'll run in to on the amateur radio bands, I always seem to bump into the most interesting folks.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next contact was with Kevin WA9VFD down in North Carolina.&nbsp; Kevin is a SKCC member as well and we traded numbers and I got a 449 and sent him a 599.&nbsp; Kevin is a Packers Fan and has a neat Packer graphic on his QRZ biography page.&nbsp; WA9VFD happens to be a vanity call as this call sign belonged to his father, a veteran of the Korean War.&nbsp; Hats off to your dad Kevin!&nbsp; Kevin is new at CW and is doing great with it.&nbsp; Work him if you hear him, it'll be fun!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HFrMHZYs2xQ/W9YiBE46mTI/AAAAAAAABgw/GU4J3tUlUhsqY73_sKGPLt7QfAI4EiDPwCLcBGAs/s1600/wa9vfd%2Bdad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="400" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HFrMHZYs2xQ/W9YiBE46mTI/AAAAAAAABgw/GU4J3tUlUhsqY73_sKGPLt7QfAI4EiDPwCLcBGAs/s320/wa9vfd%2Bdad.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WA9VFD - Kevin's Dad - Never owned a Microphone</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next contact was with Charles KM4ZZ and boy I was having a heck of a time copying him, but I am glad I took the time to work this station as he is my NEW STATE.&nbsp; Charles lives in Virginia, and is also a SKCC member. We traded RST...I gave him 339 and he gave me a 579, and SKCC numbers.&nbsp; Charles is retired from the US Navy after 28 years of service.&nbsp; Thank you very much for your service Charlie! he got his Technician through Extra class license in 2015 and since then he has made thousands of QRP CW contacts!&nbsp; Check out his bio on QRZ...he's a great admirer of the military PRC rigs and has some great pictures.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next up was Randy K8ZAA up in Michigan, we traded SKCC information and I sent a 559 and got a 599.&nbsp; Randy is SKCC member 15019S, which means he holds the level of SKCC Senator...he's worked literally thousands of SKCC members to earn this achievement.&nbsp; That's a lot of CW!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last but not least was Tom KA2KGP up in New York state.&nbsp; Seems like I bump in to Tom every few weeks.&nbsp; Today I got a 599 from him and he was booming in to Central Indiana.&nbsp; Another SKCC QSO in the logbook.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well that's it for today, grabbed a new state, talked with the interesting characters, and had fun for about an hour and a half...time for the honey do list.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-85671965830236874922018-10-27T17:14:00.001-04:002018-10-27T17:17:56.406-04:00Lazy QSOs on a lazy day...<div style="text-align: justify;">Well the weather has been wet and cold for the last couple of days so not much going on around here today.&nbsp; &nbsp;I fired up the K1 and called CQ a few times on the FISTS frequency of 7058 Khz...as usual I did not hear any FISTS operators.&nbsp; I did get a couple hits from SKCC ops though.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAJWvRmcdX4/W9TSCdKSEMI/AAAAAAAABfs/FckytpS0DVc15kM1kBqxxCrcNA42F-PXgCLcBGAs/s1600/W0RJW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="294" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAJWvRmcdX4/W9TSCdKSEMI/AAAAAAAABfs/FckytpS0DVc15kM1kBqxxCrcNA42F-PXgCLcBGAs/s200/W0RJW.JPG" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first QSO today was with Ed W0RJW from up in Michigan.&nbsp; He's recently been promoted from Centurion status to Tribune status in the SKCC.&nbsp; That means Ed likes CW a lot!&nbsp; Ed is way up there in Grand Traverse county of Michigan and he has been a brass pounder for over 62 years now.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3UufOv797s/W9TSsKx5SsI/AAAAAAAABf0/f1YrAtZU0pw9LoPlgKnha9aTxoppE9c9QCLcBGAs/s1600/W0RJW%2Bkeys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="375" height="148" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3UufOv797s/W9TSsKx5SsI/AAAAAAAABf0/f1YrAtZU0pw9LoPlgKnha9aTxoppE9c9QCLcBGAs/s200/W0RJW%2Bkeys.JPG" width="200" /></a>Ed has a very nice collection of straight keys and a very well supplied hamshack at his beautiful location on Fife Lake.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Included in the shack are a vintage pair of Drake Twins, R4C and T4XC and Heathkit QRP tranceiver . Keys are Vibroplex Bug, Vibroplex Straight Key, Vibroplex Paddle, a J-38 and J-47 both vintage WWII surplus keys.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ed is SKCC 17777T and has a great fist for easy copy.<br /><br />The next one was Lloyd K3ESE from MD again, I heard him very loud today from Maryland and we did the SKCC exchange.&nbsp; It's always good to work another Flying Pig!&nbsp; OO es 72!<br /><br />The next QSO was with Rob KN4IXU down in Charlotte NC.&nbsp; Rob is a former Ordnance Disposal Specialist for the US Army (1965-1968).&nbsp; Rob my hat is off to you and thank you so much for your service.&nbsp; What a dangerous job.<br /><br />Once he left the military he worked the next 50 years in the Safety Supply business.&nbsp; Rob retired in January of 2018 and made it a goal to learn Morse Code and get on the air with CW. Well I am here to tell you that Rob has a great fist, and a fantastic signal from his IC-718 and inverted vee antenna.&nbsp; He's pounding away on a J-38 and is up to about 15 wpm.&nbsp; Give him a shout if you hear him.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cT1VhwC-_AQ/W9TV8PQuUzI/AAAAAAAABgI/p3GExWzA5PsDnH-g8Nfhe_CVLKE38D4lwCLcBGAs/s1600/J-38.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="368" height="88" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cT1VhwC-_AQ/W9TV8PQuUzI/AAAAAAAABgI/p3GExWzA5PsDnH-g8Nfhe_CVLKE38D4lwCLcBGAs/s200/J-38.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>73 de KB9BVN<br /><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-88455410210022204152018-10-25T12:19:00.002-04:002018-10-26T05:57:01.969-04:00Four States QRP Group Does it Again...<div style="text-align: justify;">The Four States QRP Group has announced a total of&nbsp;three new kits since I last looked at their website.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Hilltopper 40</b>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a Dave Benson K1SWL designed 40m transceiver, an improved version of the SWL+ 40 rig that Dave sold through his company, Small Wonder Labs.&nbsp; Dave retired a few years ago and I, for one, am GLAD to see him back at it.&nbsp; This baby puts out 5 watts and costs less than $100.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJr6kO1PCnY/W9HqYLimArI/AAAAAAAABfM/cX82RYrHbW0KMTXuuaMwvglciFtzQam1wCLcBGAs/s1600/Hilltopper40_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJr6kO1PCnY/W9HqYLimArI/AAAAAAAABfM/cX82RYrHbW0KMTXuuaMwvglciFtzQam1wCLcBGAs/s400/Hilltopper40_sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here are the details from the Four State QRP Group website.&nbsp; You can go there directly by clicking on the link at the top of my blog page.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dave Benson K1SWL, founder of the renown Small Wonder Labs, listened to you and has designed a 40 meter version of his winning Hilltopper design. Four State QRP Group is honored to have been selected to kit the new transceiver.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Hilltopper is a high performance CW transceiver for the 40M meter band. It is the perfect solution to your portable operation needs - small, lightweight, wide 40 meter frequency coverage and low current drain, extending the life of your portable power source. The receiver is adapted from K1SWL’s SW+ Series with minor modifications. The front-end circuitry was revised to replace the now-vanished 10.7 MHz IF transformers. The receiver output is suitable for headphone use.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The transmitter strip is a proven design using three BS170 transistors for the PA. The frequency source for both transmitting and receiving is a DDS VFO employing a Si5351 PLL module. Control for the rig is provided by an Atmel ATmega328P. This runs both the frequency control and the full-featured CW keyer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A custom silk-screened PCB enclosure is included with the kit. No drilling or cutting required!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are two pre-installed SMT ICs on the board, but the remainder are ALL THROUGH HOLE parts, and all jacks and connectors are board mounted, the combination making this kit very easy to assemble with no external wiring needed. Clubs and Groups Please Note! Group discounts are available, 5 kit minimum order required.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Murania - AM Broadcast Band Receiver</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next one I saw, and I can't wait to build this with a couple of my grandsons, is the new Murania, single transistor AM broadcast band radio.&nbsp; Designed by Dave Cripe NM0S, this cool kit offers an opportunity to go back in time.&nbsp; &nbsp;Less than $40 for the kit.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the website:&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the late 1950s, the technology of radio was overturned by a revolution in electronics. The newly invented transistor enabled AM receivers to be constructed that were a fraction of the size of the now-obsolete tube circuits. Transistor radios soon became the new popular obsession, as a portable entertainment device that was the iPod of its day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-unpgB1tumGs/W9HrX-4HKSI/AAAAAAAABfY/5lcGq_FK1UA5t4JzzJChRjgGj8Ppiu60ACLcBGAs/s1600/Murania1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="970" height="292" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-unpgB1tumGs/W9HrX-4HKSI/AAAAAAAABfY/5lcGq_FK1UA5t4JzzJChRjgGj8Ppiu60ACLcBGAs/s400/Murania1.png" width="400" /></a>Radios having two or fewer transistors were untaxed, as they were considered toys, and given the classification,’Boy’s Radios’. The designers of Boy’s Radios employed some creative design techniques to maximize the performance of these minimalist circuits, with sometimes amazing results. Many thousands of young (and not so young) people had their first exposure to the radio hobby from these simple sets. Today, Boy’s Radios are a highly sought after nostalgic collectable, commanding impressive prices on eBay and among collectors groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Murania receiver was conceived as an opportunity for a new generation to experience the thrill of building and using a simple and effective AM radio receiver. Inspired by the classic design of these transistor radios, the Murania receiver is an ideal kit for a beginning builder, and can provide years of listening pleasure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">High quality, double sided, printed circuit board construction is used, with solder mask and silk screened component reference designators. A unique, construction technique is used in the Murania, called 'Pittsburg' construction, after the hometown of its inventor Joe, W0MQY. This method uses easy-to-handle through-hole components in a modified surface mount construction technique, where the back copper layer of the board forms a complete ground plane shielding the circuitry against hand effects. A pre-drilled silkscreened PCB enclosure is included, protecting the Murania circuit and making it into a handy portable set.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Murania is simple enough to be constructed by beginners, and is rewarding enough to be enjoyed by experienced builders. Construction time is approximately 2 hours, depending on experience level.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a very excellent group project, and a quantity discount and combined shipping are available, 5 piece minimum order pse. Contact Johnny Matlock, ACØBQ</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last up is a new Cricket Rig transmitter for 30m, they are temporarily sold out .&nbsp; See their website for all the details.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kids it's a great time to be QRP!&nbsp; &nbsp;Lot's of new stuff to&nbsp; build this winter and loads of fun to be had.&nbsp; Enjoy!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">73 de KB9BVN<br /><br />BTW I heard VP6D Ducie Island on 7015 Khz this morning, working the world....just not me.</div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-41021970116243663142018-10-24T20:02:00.003-04:002018-10-25T12:22:05.317-04:00On the air again...<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow...this summer went fast, which is not real good news...but now that Fall is here and the sun is disappearing earlier and earlier, I have a little more time to play radio.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So tonight I dragged out the K1 and connected it to the attic dipole (1/2 wave 40m) to see what I could hear.&nbsp; It was about 22:00 UTC and I started out on 20m.&nbsp; Called CQ a few times and checked the Reverse Beacon Network. I was being heard in a few spots but the signal was very week.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I headed on down to 40m, and called CQ a few times on 7051 Khz&nbsp; RBN had me all over the place with a great signal strength, but I wasn't getting any takers.&nbsp; Finally I heard Jim KD8YQX from Warren Michigan answer my CQ and we traded SKCC numbers and some station information.&nbsp; Jim has a great first and is good armchair copy, first QSO I've had in a month or so too.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we got done I headed up to 7058 Khz to see if there were ANY FISTS members out and about...I almost NEVER hear FISTS operating on the 7058 FISTS freq anymore.&nbsp; Used to have to wait in line to work some FISTS ops but not any longer.&nbsp; I tossed out a few CQ's and was answered by Tom N2KPJ from Clayton NY at 23:28Z.&nbsp; Tom is a SKCC member also so we traded info and I realized that we had worked each other exactly seven months ago tonight!&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just about the time I got finished with Tom, I heard a call from the past...like way back there....it was Lloyd K3ESE calling me from over in Maryland.&nbsp; I met Lloyd maybe 16 or 17 years ago, we hung out with the Flying Pigs&nbsp; QRP Club International at Four Days in May back in 2001 or 2002.&nbsp; I haven't had a QSO with LLoyd in forever.&nbsp; His signal was 559 here at the beginning but things were changing fast.&nbsp; I lost him totally at the end of the QSO.&nbsp; Sorry Lloyd.&nbsp; Glad to see you're still out there on the radio.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That's it for tonight.&nbsp; I failed to get a better antenna permanently installed this summer...this is like the 18th summer in a row...maybe next year!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">73 de KB9BVN<br /><br />BTW - I heard VP6D Ducie Island on 7015 Khz this morning at about 4:30AM EDT...they were working the world! I did not make contact.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-10239387162256908802018-08-22T20:01:00.001-04:002018-09-14T05:29:31.746-04:00Mountain Topper 5B from LNR - Test Drive<div style="text-align: justify;">Ok so my buddy Steve W9BRI calls me up and says he just got his hands on a brand new radio called the Mountain Topper 5B from <a href="https://www.lnrprecision.com/mountain-toppers/" target="_blank">LNR Precision</a>.&nbsp; Not only that, he offers to let me borrow it for a few days to test it out.&nbsp; How am I so lucky?&nbsp;</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzOaoIozOGY/W33z1TFW_LI/AAAAAAAABeA/Vs9-m6LQ-i8r6WJlBt8vNjIsJoqCO5AwACLcBGAs/s1600/MT5B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="371" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzOaoIozOGY/W33z1TFW_LI/AAAAAAAABeA/Vs9-m6LQ-i8r6WJlBt8vNjIsJoqCO5AwACLcBGAs/s400/MT5B.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LNR Precision Mountain Topper 5B&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The radio runs off a single 9v radio battery if you want...since that is what I had on hand that is what I used.&nbsp; I found the manual online at LNR and read it and learned how to use the switch banks to change bands and perform other functions on the radio.&nbsp; Before getting on the air though I wanted to take measurements, so using my WM-2 Wattmeter and my OHR dummy load, I did.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Brand New Battery Energizer 9v black and silver alkaline<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">40m - 2.4 Watts and battery showed 9.2Vdc<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">30m - 3 Watts and battery showed 9.1 Vdc<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">20m - 3 Watts and battery showed 9.1 Vdc<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">17m - 2 Watts and battery showed 9.1 Vdc<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">15m - 2 Watts and battery showed 9.0 Vdc<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I called CQ a few times on 7050 KHZ...the battery voltage dropped down to 8.4 Vdc while transmitting, came back up to 9 Vdc after I stopped sending my CQ.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gj2VUvSy4U/W334Un-yQJI/AAAAAAAABeU/zwnn9xgsGoc1ZcKYTT8avEC-Pmb4MD3zwCLcBGAs/s1600/lansdale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="307" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gj2VUvSy4U/W334Un-yQJI/AAAAAAAABeU/zwnn9xgsGoc1ZcKYTT8avEC-Pmb4MD3zwCLcBGAs/s1600/lansdale.JPG" /></a>So I connected it to my 40m attic dipole and started sending CQ on 7032 Khz to just see what I could get.&nbsp; The band was quiet and I did not hear many signals.&nbsp; I was running 2 watts and the MT5B showed a voltage of 9.1vdc.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My second CQ was answered by Dick K8WHA in Lansdale PA.&nbsp; Dick was running a TS 590S to a vertical and we traded 599's,&nbsp; Lansdale PA is about 600 miles from my QTH, I was impressed and the receiver was fantastic.&nbsp; Dick has been licensed since 1960, and he is a contester and award winning operator.&nbsp; Lansdale is in the far eastern part of the state, almost bordering New Jersey.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When that QSO was over I moved to 7050Khz looking for an SKCC contact. Hugh AE5VB from Covington Louisiana answered me and gave me a 519...said I was weak but solid copy.&nbsp; This is about 800 miles and power was a smidgen under 2w now.&nbsp; The receiver can't be beat.&nbsp; I switched from my Vibrokeyer to the Nye Viking Master Key so we could exchange SKCC numbers.&nbsp; QSO lasted about 25 mins and it was great.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">All in all I am impressed with this little radio.&nbsp; Steve W9BRI is going to have more fun than a human should be allowed.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">CW is my only mode</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-59953190330080228312018-08-10T09:48:00.000-04:002018-08-10T11:47:13.477-04:00Technician to General Class<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J_6Mv-E9uqo/W22zdVZf-II/AAAAAAAABdk/KJ8AekGLdDU-eEeCAxk2gE7RYAKSnfhuACLcBGAs/s1600/upgrade.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="264" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J_6Mv-E9uqo/W22zdVZf-II/AAAAAAAABdk/KJ8AekGLdDU-eEeCAxk2gE7RYAKSnfhuACLcBGAs/s1600/upgrade.png" /></a></div><br /><br />The Indiana Elmer Network will be hosting a Technician to General Upgrade Class for three Thursday nights in a row.&nbsp; Class starts on October 25th, and ends on November 8th.&nbsp; We will have VE testing on November 8th.&nbsp; This is your chance to upgrade, don't miss it.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This is a FREE class, there is no charge.&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>When:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>October 25, November 1, November 8</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Time:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>6PM to 8PM at the latest</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Where:&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Aviation Institute of Maintenance&nbsp;</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>7251 W. McCarty St, Indianapolis IN 46241</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Room 10</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Get your Technician to General Training Guide, and bring it to class.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a data-lynx-mode="hover" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ad7fo.com%2Fmedia%2FGenLic.pdf&amp;h=AT0fH7oAJFYEn4UP_qrNnE7wq8bOKE915aNW7I36X61glXiZNcbMh5D9pXWmI2YYACy0YcZ7k-v0I5wkZ_BGBTes35YHkcX3WYgk_O833WFE--1z1NoKdkhW9rr9mzBQtA" href="http://www.ad7fo.com/media/GenLic.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.ad7fo.com/media/GenLic.pdf</a>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/dbs6bKtXWbzHq49C1OZ756N" target="_blank">Go here to register</a> for the class, seating is limited so don't delay.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Good luck on your upgrade!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Brian Murrey<br /><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-67151833657564263012018-06-23T11:07:00.001-04:002018-06-23T11:09:27.075-04:00Ever get side tracked by life? <div style="text-align: justify;">Here it is, Field day weekend.&nbsp; I will most likely not be participating.&nbsp; This has been a very busy month around here and I have too many non-radio related things to get done.&nbsp; &nbsp;So what have I been up to?&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Father's Day weekend, My brother, my son, my nephew, and a couple of friends and I drove four hours to Lake Erie for a Walleye fishing trip.&nbsp; We hooked up with Sea Breeze Charters out of Oak Harbor and man did they show us a great time.&nbsp; We caught our limit in the blazing sun, with little breeze and temperatures in the low 90's.&nbsp; We drove up on Saturday the 16th, stayed in the lodging provided by the charter, and went fishing at 5:30AM on Sunday morning.&nbsp; Corey was our boat captain and his mate Bud knew where the fish were.&nbsp; By 9:30AM we had caught our limit and by noon we were back on the road back to Indianapolis. If you have ever considered doing a Walleye trip, contact Sea Breeze and request Corey.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esgaRKzQmVI/Wy5gGB5ygiI/AAAAAAAABco/R9v4XiA95BIbZlt7SbJAFfZtUQ5HN7QIQCLcBGAs/s1600/walleye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="810" height="572" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esgaRKzQmVI/Wy5gGB5ygiI/AAAAAAAABco/R9v4XiA95BIbZlt7SbJAFfZtUQ5HN7QIQCLcBGAs/s640/walleye.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walleye Fishing - June 18 20168 - Lake Erie</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then this week, something even more exciting took place.&nbsp; My newest grandson was born! John Paul came into the world on Thursday night and I got to meet him for the first time yesterday.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jRi1Sy48OWQ/Wy5hm3HIehI/AAAAAAAABdA/987mmIY28Z05eC1PGyX5p9oJJeeQvEIZgCLcBGAs/s1600/me%2Band%2BJohn%2BPaul%2B062218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="448" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jRi1Sy48OWQ/Wy5hm3HIehI/AAAAAAAABdA/987mmIY28Z05eC1PGyX5p9oJJeeQvEIZgCLcBGAs/s400/me%2Band%2BJohn%2BPaul%2B062218.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KB9BVN with baby John Paul&nbsp; - June 22 2018</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">So as you can see I have been pretty busy this month. I go on call next week so will be closer to the shack all week.&nbsp; I hope to get on the air and grab a few more states.&nbsp; If I get everything done today that needs done maybe I can get on the air and work some CW Field Day contacts.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Best DX to everyone!</div><div><br /></div><div>de KB9BVN</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-57451979724903033792018-06-03T15:27:00.001-04:002018-06-04T07:38:56.406-04:00Where does the time go...<div style="text-align: justify;">One day it was April something and I was making QSO's....next thing I know it's June 3rd, and I have ZERO QSO's logged for May.&nbsp; I have plenty of excuses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">May was very busy for us.&nbsp; Lot's of family birthdays, lots of family cookouts, weekend trips to here and there, new challenges at work, I just didn't have time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I fired up the K2 this lazy Sunday afternoon and noticed the bands seemed a little weak but I still got a QSO in the log book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I worked Lester W8BJO at about 19:06z, he's almost my neighbor since he lives in Springfield Ohio, a mere 120 miles due east of me.&nbsp; He was 599 on 7030Khz when we started out, but within 5 minutes or so the QSB on my end was so bad I had to sign off with him.&nbsp; He has a good fist and I was hoping for a bit of a rag chew...but not today it seems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Springfield is a city of about 60,000 people, and was formed in 1801 by James Demint.&nbsp; It is located in Clark County and is the home of Wittenburg University, and Clark Community College, and is the birthplace and former home of comedian Jonathan Winters.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNI7N-LlHkM/WxRBEaYB3PI/AAAAAAAABb4/T5mYF5OLihgpaVpvyx1hBSHC2tB4s6-8ACLcBGAs/s1600/wittenburg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1045" height="392" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WNI7N-LlHkM/WxRBEaYB3PI/AAAAAAAABb4/T5mYF5OLihgpaVpvyx1hBSHC2tB4s6-8ACLcBGAs/s640/wittenburg.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Best 73 de KB9BVN<br /><br />Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-28376698853070430712018-05-04T05:48:00.001-04:002018-05-04T05:49:17.376-04:00QSO Party Weekend!<div style="text-align: justify;">This weekend, May 4-6, is one of the biggest QSO Party weekends of the year.&nbsp; We will have the Delaware QSO party, the New England QSO Party,&nbsp; the Indiana QSO Party, and the 7th Call Area QSO Party.&nbsp; The time will be ripe to log some of the rare states for 2018 and I hope to be on the air a good part of this weekend.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more info:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.fsarc.org/qsoparty/qsohome.htm" target="_blank">Delaware State QSO Party</a> Rules and Details&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://neqp.org/" target="_blank">New England QSO Party</a> Rules and Details</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.hdxcc.org/inqp/" target="_blank">Indiana State QSO Party</a> Rules and Details&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://ws7n.net/7QP/new/page.asp?content=start" target="_blank">7th Call Area QSO Party</a> Rules and Details</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I hope you get a chance to spend some time making contacts this weekend, there shouldn't be a shortage of operators to QSO with!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-7587936933277239182018-04-22T20:46:00.003-04:002018-04-22T20:46:51.431-04:00Great Weekend <div style="text-align: justify;">I was on call this weekend so I couldn't get too far from my computer and the internet but I did manage to still get a lot done around the castle.&nbsp; One of my four handsome grandsons (KD9JID) stopped by on Friday, and I put him to work mowing the lawn.&nbsp; He's going to Canada in July for a 10 day&nbsp; canoe trip and is working odds jobs to have some spare change for the voyage.&nbsp; I am not afraid of hard work, I can watch it for hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iFdLCuoQkUI/Wt0sOXDcoFI/AAAAAAAABaQ/RHK7wh6RAGUSTNwfbqFz8zPZrw4-R6f4ACLcBGAs/s1600/mower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="651" height="313" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iFdLCuoQkUI/Wt0sOXDcoFI/AAAAAAAABaQ/RHK7wh6RAGUSTNwfbqFz8zPZrw4-R6f4ACLcBGAs/s400/mower.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard Work in Progress</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">When we got that done, his Mamaw found a few other yard jobs that needed to be done, so we so worked hard and pulled out a couple of shrubs that she needed to have gone so they could be replaced with CONCRETE flower pots. He stayed the evening and prepared for the labors of Saturday.&nbsp; On Saturday we headed to the hardware store, bought some manure, some dirt, some paver stones and then hit the Asian Buffet for lunch.&nbsp; The kid could be a contender.&nbsp; Pretty sure he consumed 3 gallons of ice cream.&nbsp; Finally made it home, and set the pots where she wanted them.&nbsp; Meanwhile Mamaw (my wife) was treating his sister (KD9JIE) to toes and nails at the local beautification place, while we slaved away.&nbsp; &nbsp;Dinner was home brew pizza and we took them home.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So my phone is going off about every 20 minutes all night Saturday night,&nbsp; I get paged when important servers get rebooted, and this is patch weekend.&nbsp; So I didn't get much sleep last night, it's about 8:30PM now I am looking forward to getting some sleep tonight and few interruptions.&nbsp; We'll see.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I fired up the K1 at about 6:45PM while I was doing some other work and manage to reel off three QSO's before going QRT at about 8PM.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My first QSO tonight was Susan W7KFI and she was calling CQ MM...and I spaced it an answered her.&nbsp; She was kind enough to give me a 589 to her 599 on 7051 and went separate ways.&nbsp; She is a retired Army Master Sergeant.&nbsp; She was signing with a /5 so she was operating from her home in Gulfport Mississippi.&nbsp; Great FIST!!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxmIFxFMvBE/Wt0pnrW873I/AAAAAAAABZ0/o9K_Rrc-0ao8f_fZ7r9d_jhtihPMv_FJgCLcBGAs/s1600/W7KFI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="497" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxmIFxFMvBE/Wt0pnrW873I/AAAAAAAABZ0/o9K_Rrc-0ao8f_fZ7r9d_jhtihPMv_FJgCLcBGAs/s400/W7KFI.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W7KFI loves to Sail the World - Check her QRZ BIO&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Next up was Steve NN0SS up in Minnesota on 7052.&nbsp; This was 2 way QRP as he was on his KX3.&nbsp; Band was very noisy and I was getting some static crashing, although there is not a storm in site.&nbsp; Steve belongs to SKCC and the NAQCC and is an active QRP CW operator.&nbsp; Thanks for the contact Steve!&nbsp; I got a 589 and he was 589 as well.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last but not least was Mike AA9AA up in Mantiwoc WI.&nbsp; Mike was running a home brew QRP rig to a dipole, the QRM was fierce for the first half of the QSO...I guess two QRP ops having a QSO are tough to hear.&nbsp; Mike has been a ham for 29 years and has a great fist.&nbsp; Mike has quite a shack setup as you can see. I love the old telephone!&nbsp; We traded 599's on 7058 and chewed the rag for a bit.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GX7yjgSuLu8/Wt0rYSajLYI/AAAAAAAABaA/7wD_boRvOA0DAU_6Htu2Lac1Z8tx8gmvACLcBGAs/s1600/AA%2528AA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="944" height="368" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GX7yjgSuLu8/Wt0rYSajLYI/AAAAAAAABaA/7wD_boRvOA0DAU_6Htu2Lac1Z8tx8gmvACLcBGAs/s640/AA%2528AA.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike AA9AA - Ham Shack and QRP Laboratory</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Well that's it for this weekend. No new states this time. I am on call tomorrow and then I am free for 5 more weeks.&nbsp; WEEEE</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73!&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5052497387626375316.post-46577253804071251052018-04-18T09:37:00.005-04:002018-04-18T09:39:15.993-04:00Latest DX <div style="text-align: justify;">I got home from work last night and found some time to turn on the radio, I checked the band condition reports and they were not too enticing but I fired up the K1 and tuned to the bottom of 20m just t see if I could hear anything.&nbsp; I worked Amed CO2AME down in Cuba on 14017 and then worked Alexey HC2AO down in Ecuador on 14015.&nbsp; Amed sent me a 599, and Alexsey sent me a 339.&nbsp; I am constantly amazed at how far a little power goes, and how well CW works in even less than good conditions. Make no mistake about it, these fine operators have excellent receivers and antenna systems. I thank them for doing the heavy lifting in our contacts.&nbsp; HC2AO&nbsp; and CO2AME have very interesting biographies on QRZ, check it out if you get time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWbAIYDXTMM/WtdJq1IfvrI/AAAAAAAABZU/sQ22yRd2r7gKpjGMUcjeZQgmsrQkZVBJACLcBGAs/s1600/CO2AME.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="339" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWbAIYDXTMM/WtdJq1IfvrI/AAAAAAAABZU/sQ22yRd2r7gKpjGMUcjeZQgmsrQkZVBJACLcBGAs/s320/CO2AME.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amed CO2AME - Habana Cuba</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2betDbQJua0/WtdJq-i6e9I/AAAAAAAABZQ/86hIZu2-Bk4LUXML_-3ssUvZ1MLeiDGPwCLcBGAs/s1600/HC2AO.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="642" height="231" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2betDbQJua0/WtdJq-i6e9I/AAAAAAAABZQ/86hIZu2-Bk4LUXML_-3ssUvZ1MLeiDGPwCLcBGAs/s320/HC2AO.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alexey HC2AO - Guayaquil Ecuador</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Best 73 de KB9BVN</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Brian KB9BVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09894996713821585595noreply@blogger.com0